2018 Tennessee Code
Title 40 - Criminal Procedure
Chapter 35 - Tennessee Criminal Sentencing Reform Act of 1989
Part 2 - Procedure for Imposing Sentence
§ 40-35-202. Notice of intent to seek enhanced punishment -- Statement of enhancement and mitigating factors.
(a) If the district attorney general believes that a defendant should be sentenced as a multiple, persistent or career offender, the district attorney general shall file a statement thereof with the court and defense counsel not less than ten (10) days before trial or acceptance of a guilty plea; provided, that notice may be waived by the defendant in writing with the consent of the district attorney general and the court accepting the plea. The statement, which shall not be made known to the jury determining the guilt or innocence of the defendant on the primary offense, must set forth the nature of the prior felony convictions, the dates of the convictions and the identity of the courts of the convictions. The original or certified copy of the court record of any prior felony conviction, bearing the same name as that by which the defendant is charged in the primary offense, is prima facie evidence that the defendant named in the record is the same as the defendant before the court, and is prima facie evidence of the facts set out in the record.
(b) In all cases following a finding of guilt, the court may require that:
(1) The district attorney general file a statement with the court setting forth any enhancement or mitigating factors the district attorney general believes should be considered by the court; and
(2) The defendant file a statement with the court setting forth all mitigating factors known to the defendant and indicating any mitigating factors the defendant believes should be considered by the court.
